Avalanche-rugged silicon carbide (SiC) power device

Abstract

In at least one general aspect, a silicon carbide (SiC) device can include a drift region and a termination region at least partially surrounding the SiC device. The termination region can have a first transition zone and a second transition zone. The first transition zone can be disposed between a first zone and a second zone, and the second zone can have a top surface lower in depth than a depth of a top surface of the first zone. The first transition zone can have a recess, and the second transition zone can be disposed between the second zone and a third zone.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus, comprising:
 a drift region of a first conductivity type; 
 a shielding body defined by a trench and a shielding body doped region, the shielding body doped region having a thickness at least one third of a depth of the trench; 
 a rim having a second conductivity type and at least partially surrounding a silicon carbide (SiC) device; and 
 a termination region at least partially surrounding the SiC device and the shielding body, the termination region at least partially surrounding the rim and having the second conductivity type. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the termination region has a transition zone disposed between a first zone and a second zone. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the first zone has a depth equal to a depth of a doped region of the second zone. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the transition zone has an edge defined by a step. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the shielding body is included within a plurality of shielding bodies. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the shielding body is included in an array of a plurality of shielding bodies interleaved with a plurality of Schottky regions. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the drift region has a first conductivity type,
 the apparatus further comprising: 
 a shielding body; and 
 a Schottky region, 
 the rim at least partially surrounding the shielding body and the Schottky region. 
 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the shielding body has a doping concentration the same as the doping concentration of a rim doped region of the rim. 
     
     
       9. An apparatus, comprising:
 a drift region of a first conductivity type; 
 a rim having a second conductivity type and at least partially surrounding a silicon carbide (SiC) device; 
 a termination region at least partially surrounding the rim and having the second conductivity type; and 
 a shielding body defined by a trench and a shielding body doped region, the shielding body doped region having a thickness at least one third of a depth of the trench. 
 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a first transition zone and a second transition zone each having a recess. 
 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the shield body is included in an array of a plurality of shielding bodies interleaved with a plurality of Schottky regions. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the termination region has a first zone having a doped region with a first thickness, the termination region has a second zone having a doped region with a second thickness different from the first thickness. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the doped region of the first zone has a depth equal to a depth of the doped region of the second zone. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the termination region has a transition zone disposed between the first zone and the second zone. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the drift region has the first conductivity type,
 the apparatus further comprising: 
 an array of a plurality of shielding bodies interleaved with a plurality of Schottky regions, the rim at least partially surrounding the array. 
 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the shielding body is included within a plurality of shielding bodies. 
     
     
       17. An apparatus, comprising:
 a drift region; 
 a rim at least partially surrounding a silicon carbide (SiC) device; 
 a termination region including a transition zone disposed between a first zone and a second zone, the termination region at least partially surrounding the rim; and 
 a shielding body defined by a trench and a shielding body doped region, the shielding body doped region having a thickness at least one third of a depth of the trench, the rim at least partially surrounding the shielding body. 
 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the shielding body is included in an array of a plurality of shielding bodies interleaved with a plurality of Schottky regions. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the transition zone is a first transition zone,
 the apparatus further comprising a second transition zone disposed between the second zone and a third zone. 
 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the drift region has a first conductivity type,
 the apparatus further comprising:
 a Schottky region, 
 the rim having a second conductivity type and at least partially surrounding the Schottky region, the termination region having the second conductivity type.